Ms. Romantic

  For several times I have been afraid of my future, I came to a point where I needed rest, calm.  Something being unpredictable and you working hard for something unpredictable to show itself it's something not all people can do.  It not a matter of work.  It's a matter of patience and your self control.

  As all people do, when I came to think more of myself and what I was doing, I wondered what was the purpose of my life.  And later I figured out this was also unpredictable.  When people say their purpose of life, they have an aim (which is clearly different from a purpose) just taking its place instead in order for you to keep going.  Me, one year of considering and I made up my pseudo-purpose for my life.  But I broke up my life into pieces so that an aim too big would not confuse me, like looking down from space and deciding which city I should visit.  So I narrowed it down and came to a word 'peace'.  I wanted to gain peace and do something I loved and be with people whom I loved.  But then, I knew this will not happen unless I do the opposite.  And then, I felt myself wet in face.

  I didn't understand the way I had to live in my future, only partly.  I had to work with people whom I dislike and reluntant and then my peace was going to break into pieces.  My heart beated fast and my forhead burned.

  'It was grateful that I liked to study.  But not in a way to earn money.  I learned to gain peace for my self and for whom I love.  So it could be less stressful if I had that part of me.'  And I started to list all the possibilities, even the tiny pieces and made myself believe that it was not going to be like what I think.  I tried to blow away my fear and bring in confidence.

  Now I believe doing what I don't like could be a way to find what I really like and want to do.  Working with people who I dislike could make my love towards the people who I love stronger.  In ICT class, Ms Price asked us, "Is the unused resources less important than the used resources?" and someone answered yes.  To myself, I answered no.  "Well, it is no.  Unused ones are as important as the used ones and I'll tell you guys why.  You know that the used sources are useful to you because you've seen the unuseful ones.  If there hadn't been any unused resources, you wouldn't have been able to recognize the ones you've used."  And that made sense.  And my fear towards my future flew away although there are still bits and pieces left over but I felt like a huge rock being removed from my mind.

  Tears aren't useless.  They are just droples of water, yes, but I don't want to use the word just in there.  Sometimes tears clear out your mind from dirty scratches and wounds you have inside you.  They clean them and throw them out with a cry.  And after you've cried, you feel something that is undescribable.  You feel loose and heavy.  But also, empty.

  I might cry and I might have to show tears.  But if that is the only way to achieve my purpose of life, I will do it and I should not be giving up for it.  And that is because I believe in me and I know I am the only one that knows me well enough to support myself with real.    

  "Good morning Mr.Macknight and fellow classmates.  This unit was about language and culture which in  now days is considered very important in many ways.  It participates as a major rule in business, worldwide communication, investigations on discoveries, relationships and respect between people and etc, which is why people are desperate to know more about language and their history, especially the main worldwide used language, English.  And I think this globalizing world is requireing us to be more out into the world without limitations of your nation, family, region etc.

  Then the question which came into my mind was 'if they are both so important to us, wouldn't they have a connection between them?' My own experience answered me back.  'Language contains culture.  And culture contains language.'  Depending on my experience, this was perfectly true.

  To my experience, when I started learning my second language, it didn't disclose its culture but came to me with grammar and spellings.  Stiff and hard was the first image of my new language called Enlgish.  But as I kept hearing it, saying it and looking at how people show emotions and actions when they speak the language, one side it was confusing but one side it excited me with a feeling of living in another person's body.  It was like having another me.  Enligsh had different expressions, different speaking, different uses of language which concluded that it was their culture.  It was the culture of 'English' which I was then experiencing and it came to me as a chance of possibility of me being able to do things I couldn't have done with Hye Hyun, the original me.  Franchesca has a different language and different cultural background comparing to Hye Hyun and also that affected her characters and personalities.  This proved clearly language contained culture.

  In another way of speaking, culture contains language.  Without language culture is nothing but an empty can.  Language is an implement we use to express what we think, what is insde our minds.  Culture is what people live in and what people adapt to which influences their way of thinking and things going around in their minds.  And in order to express this or disclose this to the world, they need a language suitable for their culture.  I have experienced this when I first came to China.  It was all very different from my home country and unfamiliar.  How people act and their emotions were all the way to express their culture which I found very interesting.  But the language was the most useful way to understand China's culture and their way of life.  And now as I am in a position where I am learning Chinese, I try to learn how Chinese people feel or act or how they use Chinese when they speak them because with what I have gained after 2 years of learning Chinese is that it will never be the language you are trying to learn unless you speak with culture like the people who use them daily, are adding into their language.  And as an addition, there is a language created by Zamenhof, Ludovic Lazarus which is called Esperanto and there are even some people who can speak the language.  It was made to unify the language around the world.  But one of the disadvantages people pointed out about this language was that it didn't have any cultural background which they concluded as it isn't a proper language.  I agreed with this because without culture it is only to speak and move your mouth, not actually to communicate.

  This was an unexpected discovery and I really appreciated it because it helped me to review my own self, and about language and culture all around the world.  Although now it is a little bit difficult to communicate freely with any countries, I belive there is more than language that we are to use to communicate with and more people other than me will be able to realize that.  We are still improving through economical events now days with global participations.  I wish this will develope constantly and someday the barrier of language, culture and nation will collapse and we will be able to live with freedom, respect and love."

P.S. I wish I had noted the questions too... they were such good questions!!

 Title:The Bread Winner

 Author: Deborah Ellis

 Number of pages: 170 pgs

  The story ‘The Bread Winner' is based on one girl called Parvana.  The background events of this story is while the war of Afghanistan and the Taliban are going on severely and which makes this story of a purpose to tell people how this is affecting the people who is living in the country.  Actually this is written at the back of the actual book saying, "Imagine living in a country in which women and girls are not allowed to leave the house without a man.  Imagine having to wear clothes that cover every part of your body, including your face, whenever you go out.  This is life in Afghanistan, where the Taliban members of an extreme religious group, run most of the country."  This show how desperate and how intensely the author is trying to show the readers the seriousness of the problem going on at the other parts of the world.  Also on the profile of the author it says, "Deborah Ellis has been to Afghan refugee camps and heard many stories like Parvana's.  All the royalties form this book will be donated to Women for Women in Afghanistan, dedicated to the education of Afghan girls in refugee camps in Pakistan" which shows how focused the author is on helping the Afghanistan women and speaking out the rights for women also in LEDCs, not only in MEDCs. 

This book starts with Parvana's unfortunate situation including her family.  Her family depends on her father's earnings by reading letters for people and sometimes writing for them too.  Although their father lost one leg and their living wasn't as healthy as before, they were happy enough with their family being together always.  The strong belief towards their father, their mother's love, Noria's complains, Parvana's brightness, Maryam's childishness, Ali's cry and lots of other stuffs that were shared together, all were important in building up the word ‘family' and if one of them misses out, the word would collapse down without balance of missing one pillar.  But this came to them very unexpectedly.  It happened in a sudden and the family had to go through confusion.  Especially without their father, it was almost impossible for them to earn money.  In Kabul, the Taliban required women to wear burqa and chador for them to cover up their body from head to toe completely except a small narrow hole for their eyes.  Also they needed a men as an escort and if not it was curfew for them.  For several weeks they were in terrible desire but did not last long.  Parvana had come across Ms Weera while she was being chased by the Taliban.  She told her what agony their family was going through and Ms Weera asked her to guide her way home.  Soon the family stood up again.

I think this is where the climax of the story is.  One of a sudden, when Parvana woke up one morning, the family tells her how them girls are going to make their way out with no man.  Parvana's mouth dropped (mines too).  They decided to change her into a normal teenage boy since Parvana was the most likely looking as a boy.  As the pieces of hair fell to the bathroom floor and new clothes covering up the body, in the mirror a new person was standing in front of Parvana, not sure if he is ready for the new passage of life he has to go on, very different from before.

Parvana, acting like Kaseem, earns money the same way her father used to do at the beginning.  She was afraid and almost refused to try the new adventure standing before her.  But as she got adapted to the new surroundings and feeling of new air and nature reflecting on her eyes, she was quite enjoying the fact that all the family is relying on her. 

  Lots of events happen before Parvana's father's return.  Parvana accidentally meets her old classmate, Sharif.  They plan to sell stuffs on tray and does everything they can do to earn money for the trays, for example like bone digging.  Finally they gather enough money and start their new career.  Also a secret woman sends Parvana presents constantly.  The book never tells who it is but at some part when the woman gets hit by the man, it shows how unfairly some women are treated in Afghanistan by man.  Also others like Ms Weera and Fantana (Parvana's mother) publishing magazines, Ms Weera building up a school for some girls in Kabul, Parvana with Sharif unfortunately having to see the cruel punishments for prisoners and Noria all at once having to get married at Mazar and leaving for it.  But later Homa (the girl who Parvana brought with her after seeing her cry, tucked in the corner) warns that there are Taliban all over the place.  And just right, her father returns although he is in a very bad condition.  But as soon as he recovers, the family seems to fall back in to place. 

The story ends with no certain.  But at the end of the book it says, "She (Parvana) popped a dried apricot into her mouth and rolled its sweetness around on her tongue.  Through the dusty front windshield she could see Mount Parvana, the snow on its peak sparkling in the sun (pg 166)."  I think the author has given us a chance to predict the ending of the story by giving clues.  Especially after speaking all those horrible and unfair treatments towards Afghanistan, talking of the sweetness of an apricot is very unusual.   To my personal prediction, ‘the snow on Mount Parvana peak sparkling in the sun' means that although now Parvana's family is going through difficulty, with their hearts being united, it will produce warmth to melt down the snow and come over whatever the obstacle should be in their way.  Also whatever they take and go, their lives will sparkle in the sun of peace as long as they are together.

  There are several characters that I personally like.  But if I am to choose one, it would be Parvana.  Millions of people on this world would select Parvana though some might not.  But there is no choice.  Some people might choose her because she is the main character in this book.  I totally understand this.  The characteristics and the personalities that Parvana has can be both the reason for me wanting to be friends with her and the reason for the author putting her in the main character's position (or the author making the main character like Parvana - both means the same thing).  Not all main characters have good personalities.  But in this book, I had no choice.  I had to like Parvana.

The reason that I like Parvana is because somehow, very unknowably she taught us something.  She had a cultural difference from people who are rich and have nothing else in need.  But maybe because of the new experience she had to go thorough had pulled out the Malai inside her.  And I like the way she learned from the new surroundings and environment around her, calmly but very thoughtfully.  The way she felt sympathy for the Taliban asking her to read a letter for his dead wife.  If it was somebody else, how could they have felt sympathy for their enemy, the enemy who had taken their father away, put their family apart? But she somehow thought that Taliban were also people who were just like her, who have feelings to make them cry and laugh. 

Looking at Parvana's thought, I think she is...pure.  Pure as the tears of a waterfall.  Waterfall's cries are very clear but loud.  The tears vibrating with the cries falls with bravery and somehow happiness towards the blurry foam at the bottom.  To Parvana, her life might be unpredictable but she tries her best towards the challenge and has her bravery with her, like her father said, as Malai.  She may seem very unsafe and not appropriate for these kinds of work but it was all she could do for her family and she doesn't complain for it.

  After reading this book, I wanted to have the pureness that Parvana had.  And I thought it would be a waste of fortune if I don't do my best in what I am doing now while Parvana or other Afghanistan girls are working so heard to just support their family.  I felt the importance of my present position and so thankful for my parents having me in such good environments.  And if possible, I wanted to bring Parvana to where I live, where she could learn more as she wished.  I thought world was very unfair while some children desperately wanting to go to school but couldn't and some children well enough to go to school but hating it.  It maybe is because they don't realize what school and education benefits to their future life or they have a larger area of what they want to be instead of so commonly a teacher, professor, diplomatic officer etc since they are in a larger environment of developed cities while the poors couldn't imagine the same things as they are because they see no hope for that in the environment which they live and in other words it limits their future possibility of getting a specific job and still they are thankful for it.  Or is it that they are able to see what richly grown children can't see about the things we think are boring, not attractive just because of the hard work they've been going through and making the least details important for them.  I always thought we had to learn from this information.  People don't assume that they are the most in need people in the world to rebuild up their country and stay aggainst the aggresion they've been receiving.  The people actually who perform aggresions towards them are the ones actually with money by studying in schools and gaining knowledge to benefits actually their own rather than the whole world.  I bet almost none of any teachers will admit that this is the reason for schools and teachers educating students.   We now have to speak more globally rather than within their own country or region or even thier family limits because we know have crossed enough conficts created by our own mistakes and it is the time we should actually learn from our own mistakes.  Most people will obviously know that attacking other countries for land or what ever they plan to take away from them is useless and an immature thing to do.  Now it is no problem or area to live in since now people are flying to other countries for buisness and etc and the countries are more and more getting mixed.  But one problem left is that the MEDC and LEDC are not coorporating with each other.  It might be that MEDC are afraid of the new subject they are assigned and afraid to try things that others might disagree but also it may be because simply they are being selfish.  We need to balance the countries and keep the world flowing along time fluently.  This way we might call our human-beings the real conqueror among living creatures but if not we have no right for the name. 

About Me!

Hi everyone, my name is Franchesca.    I'm Catholic and Franchesca is also my baptismal name.  

I'm form South Korea, 13years old and I'm a common student in SSIS. 

I have an A bloodtype, which means I am very keen, shy and it's a marvelous job to speak in front of people with courage.  I'm getting better with this characteristic of mine, but still I easily get embarrassed by little, worthless things.  

I also have one brother.  He and I have only one year in difference which makes me feel more like a friend than a brother(But still doesn't mean that he's a good boy).  Sometimes I get out all my feelings and show to my brother, sobbing and talking about my concerns.  And although he may not understand, he stays along my side and encourages me to stand up again. 

I've lived in China for 3 years and a little more.  My goal this year is to get better in Chinese, so I'm trying my best.  Someone once said, if you pile up your work and keep on trying, although you don't see it now, someday it will bright up.  And I hope that's true, since my chinese is slowly done.

I love speaking English, althought I'm neither that good at it or a native speaker.  English was good help to me.  I liked the way I could express my feelings or ideas in different languages.  I adore to use variaty of vocabulary(which I'm still working on) and I'm enjoying it. 

I think this fully shows who I am.  I wish to be good friends and have healthy relationships you all of you.  Also I wish we could create a wonderful memory for ourselves throughout the year.  Thank you :)

PS. I just love spongebob!!♥

This is the outline of my project about conflict

Introduction: What conflict am I? 

                      What I am going to talk about?

1st BP: What is French Revolution? 

            When did it start and end?

            Who or what kinds of people were involved in it? 

            Where did it happen in? 

            Why did it happen? (The social reasons)

            How was it done?

            This body paragraph is for the basic background of the French Revolution which is for the people who

           don't know much about it.  Also, in order to understand my suggestions or ideas for this project, the

           understanding of the basic information is very important, unless they will not fully understand my project.

2nd BP: What were the major problems that cuased 

              French Revolution to happen? -What were the problems of the acts of people which caused the French

                                                           Revolution?

                                                         -What were the problems of the social background that caused the French

                                                           Revolution itself or the people to cause French Revolution?

              *Discuss your own ideas of what you think about the people's behavior and about the problems

3rd BP: What could they have done to prevent it?

             Why aren't there anymore revolutions occuring till now?

Conclusion: My own opinion about this conflict